Blogging confessions: Sneaky things all bloggers have done hoping no one would notice

Especially when it came to book blogging habits. (I just love to hop into graves I created myself, apparently.)

And well, would you look at me now! Again! Exposing! Myself!

Why do I do this to myself

But it’s okay, because I’m dragging you all down with me!! Unless this list does not apply to you, in which case a) You’re making my title a lie, excuse me, I DO NOT LIE. and b) Are you sure you’re not lying???? *side eye*

1. Saying you’ll read a book someone recommends and coincidentally never mentioning it ever again

HAHAHA.

Ha.

Well. You see. In my defence, I don’t intentionally NOT read a book I get recommended! I just… forget!

I AM A GOLDFISH and I literally won’t remember anything past 2 days, okay. (Yes, exams were difficult.) It doesn’t mean I didn’t like your recommendation or something!!

I just.. consistently forget?

*Tiny whispers* Though sometimes I’m just not actually interested in the book but I feel too guilty to say that when someone loved it so much ……. *hides*

2. Stalking previous comments in a non-stalkerish way

If you say you’ve never stalked comments on someone else’s post, I’m 99% sure YOU ARE LYING.

Generally no one will know (or care) if you stalk the comments! That’s okay! It’s just entertaining to see what other people thought on a topic, and maybe they offer some useful information as well?

BUT THEN.

It’s when you accidentally press “like” one someone else’s comment while stalking the comments without having commented yourself and then you’re exposed as a somewhat stalker??? WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK.

nothing

You’re sneaky and all clever as you go giggling* through the other comments UNTIL IT’S NOT.

*Okay hopefully that’s not what you’re doing because that’s kind of creepy but hey, this is a mostly judge-free zone.

3. Editing a comment we wrote on our blog or deleting it completely

I don’t think I’ve ever deleted any of my own or anyone else’s comments? I haven’t edited anyone’s comments either (can you do that?) but I’m going to sheepishly confess I’ve totally edited my own comment before.

It’s not anything bad, I swear!! And I don’t change the general idea of what I wrote originally, so I’m not deceiving anyone! 😂 I just… typos are frustrating okay??? And sometimes I want to add onto what I said originally and so I go back and add it?

DOES THIS MAKE ME A DECEITFUL PERSON????

(Please don’t answer that)

(I don’t think it does?? If it makes you feel better, I do it 0.0008% of the time anyway, which is to say I hardly do.)

My question is, does the person who I’m replying to notice if I changed my comment? Like, will they still receive the original comment? Probably, right?

I… don’t always read full blog posts? I feel kind of guilty for admitting that, but I would totally understand if people didn’t read my full posts (especially when they’re long as heck), and I’m already exposing myself so why not!

I do try to read full posts as much as I can, though!! I don’t intentionally decide, oh, hey, I’m not going to read the full post of so-and-so for so-and-so reason, because usually it’s completely arbitrary and up to my mood and how much time I have. 😅

Generally people won’t be able to tell? (If you don’t read my full post, I generally won’t know?)

YET. One time.

Oh god, I still cringe.

I feel so guilty!! This hasn’t happened to me recently, this was like in 2015? Somehow, I read-skimmed a post about a book, okay. Normal things. And then I go to comment, because it was a good post and everything, and then I comment about a WHOLLY DIFFERENT BOOK.

The sad thing is, the titles weren’t even remotely alike, apart from the fact they both had “All the” .

5. Post something, delete it, and then post it again at another time or date

HAHAHA okay I’m going to confess I’ve totally done this before. If you’re one of the people who’ve noticed the same post of mine come up twice, well… now you know.

But to be fair, one time it was because my scheduling thing didn’t post it on time and posted it super late, and hardly anyone saw it?? (Obviously you guys were deprived of a masterpiece*)

So I sneakily just deleted it and posted it the next day at a regular time, and, well, I actually had people reading it? Sooooo I don’t see the downside of this other than it seems kind of suspicious… sorry???

Also there was that time I accidentally posted a draft without realizing… Sigh. And people wonder why I’m paranoid, geez.

*Hahahah. WP was probably trying to tell me something yikes. 👀

6. Unfollowing a blog

I don’t actually unfollow blogs often, because I’m wayyyyy too lazy to go through my 100+ blogs followed list to unfollow people, and I just don’t see the worth in spending my time on that tbh.

But the times I did, I swear you’d think I was comittting some sort of crime????

(I’M NOT, JUST TO BE CLEAR.)

It’s this super stealthy affair of me deciding how long it’s been since they posted and sneakily pressing that unfollow button and having the wrath of the bloggers come down on me and–

Yeah, no, not really. I just press unfollow. But I do hope they don’t notice??

8. Reading multiple posts from a blog without commenting/Liking posts without reading them.

Honestly, there’s not really a way for the blogger to know if you’ve been reading the post at all so it’s pretty easy for bloggers to get away with liking posts without having read them? Or reading without commenting?

But I mean… I don’t think anyone goes into a blog post thinking to themselves, “hehehe I’m going to be super sneaky and not actually read their posts or comment” because UM???? What the heck, pal. Why would you even. It’s fine to not comment or read a post, but don’t actively plan not to? 😂

I totally get how sometimes you’re just not in the mood to comment or read so you may just like it and leave! And it’s okayyyy! It’s not a super bad thing!

I’m just paranoid and feel bad afterwards in case the blogger is secretly wondering why I didn’t comment on their posts??

I don’t think like this so I have no freaking clue why I keep imagining other bloggers doing so?? MY MIND IS JUST… ODD, someone save me from it.

9. Deleted old posts because they were trash in need of being hidden away from the world for protection

Hahahah, okay I can hardly look at my old posts?? I haven’t deleted a lot of them, but I low-key really want to do that 😂 I’ve totally had posts I deleted though before, though I can’t really remember why??

They were probably just reaaalllly bad posts and well, GOOD RIDDANCE.

See: there are two types of bloggers: one, is the type who just started blogging either knowing what they were doing, or didn’t know but seemed like they did. This type, have pretty decent posts.

And then there’s the other type: the one who did not know what they were doing and seemed like they didn’t know what they were doing! That’s me!

My posts weren’t all BAD*, but… I didn’t enjoy writing them as much as I enjoy writing my posts now? I did sooooo many memes, and wow, was it a mess.

So delete they go!! And no one notices either, which is ultimately perfect.

SEE, I’M VERY SNEAKY.

I would make a wonderful spy.

*Hahahahahahhahahahha I’m so funny

(Yes, for the extra perceptive people, I cheated and skipped #7 .. ending on 8 is just such an ugly thing, okay, I can’t just end on 8 things???? STOP EXPOSING ME)

What are some of your blogging confessions??? Have you done anything here? Do you ever like posts without reading them? Have you ever edited or deleted one of your own comments? EXPOSE YOURSELF WITH ME.

100 thoughts on “Blogging confessions: Sneaky things all bloggers have done hoping no one would notice”

You have great ideas for blog posts. I have to say I haven’t deleted or edited any comments. But I do love to read other people’s comments on blog posts, especially the discussion ones. I occasionally find my finger hovering over the like button quite a lot!
For your number one point of reading recommended books, there are just so many. I’m sure if I could, I would, there are just too many! 😉
Amanda.

Everything about this post had me giggling lol! I recently had thoughts on #9 smh specifically cause I requested a arc from a publisher for a sequel. The “issue” is that I read the first book around the time I started my blog & yeah nooooo….not my best work in a review lol smh. I seriously had to stop myself from deleting it convincing myself that a review is better than no review Baha!!!

Ahh I’m so glad to hear that!! Omg I totally get you; my old reviews were so, so awful haha and it’s hard not to want to delete them?? I never ever look at them if I can help it. 😂 That’s true!!
Thank you! ❤️

Lmao! They really are though…so I’ll spill on my book request lol 🤦🏻‍♀️I requested My Plain Jane but ummm really didn’t want them to look at my My Lady Jane review 😫😭🤣 some things should just be left alone but ummm I recently saw that it was viewed and let’s face it… no one else would dig it up but Harper looking to see if they’d deny or approve me 😂 slim chances of a yes but I will hold my head up high 🤨💜💜💜

Hahahahahahahahahahaha!! This is so relatable! I’ve done most of these… Except for liking without reading the post… I never do that, because it feels like I’m lying or something…
And I’ve totally edited my own comments… mostly because I failed at spelling/grammar, but still…

YAY I’m relieved I’m not alone in these slightly incriminating confessions! Ahahah I guess I see what you mean! I usually try to read most of the post, if not all, and it doesn’t really feel that way to me.
I KNOWWW. My grammar and spelling is awful sometimes. 😂 Totally warrants a little edit!

I’ve done so so many of thsese flaws. And the worst part is, sometimes I’m not even sorry about it. Especially number 1. I never know whether I should delete my first few posts becuase they were trash or not. I probably still won’t do it but now I won’t feel terribly about it (or maybe I wouldn’t bc I don’t feel terribly about any other blogging sins that I’ve commited).

Hahah it’s not really our fault if we’re unable to keep up with alllllll the book recommendations! There’s just so many of them. 😅 I’ve totally wanted to, but I just settle for never ever looking at them and hoping no one ever sees them? I don’t do it simply because then I would have to see them and end up reading them, which I want to avoid. 😂

Yeah, I have so many books on my TBR list that when I say “I’ll look into that!” I generally mean it sincerely, but I also might be reading it 5 years from now, so no should get their hopes up. :p

I find it weirder when people don’t read the other comments on a post, actually. I see them as more of a discussion the whole community can participate in. I’ve actually replied to comments on other people’s posts, and I get that other people might find that weird, but I just want to chat with other readers! Also, I try to skim the other comments on discussions so I don’t comment the exact same thing 10 other people did.

The “people commenting who haven’t read the post” is kind of a pet peeve of my co-blogger and me. I get that people are busy and might skim, but it’s actually fairly common for us to get comments to the effect of “I totally agree with X!” when whatever we wrote in the post was the exact opposite of X… It’s also awkward on your end, as the blogger, because what do you do? Ignore the comment? Reply “Well actually I didn’t say X at all”??? I don’t know how to reply/not reply in a way that doesn’t sound rude.

Same here!! I always mean to actually check out the book, but I also will probably read it a long time from now. 😂

Very true! It’s a great way to find different perspectives and talk to other people about the same topic. Oh yes, same here! It’s very useful to see what other people wrote so that I don’t end up repeating what they said haha.

Ohh yes, I totally get what you mean! Those comments are kind of difficult haha. I think even if you skim, you should try and leave a comment that’s related to the post? (I mean, barring that one horrid mistake of mine, that’s generally what I try to do.) It is totally awkward when that happens! What are we supposed to do? I wouldn’t want to come off as being rude or super offended when that’s really not what I’m trying to express ahah.

I didn’t know you could edit comments so thank you for that useful tip, not that I would ever do it 😉

My worst habit is hitting that like button without reading the actual post. I’m way sneakier (or more paranoid) than you however as I do open it and scroll through. Mostly because I think they’ll know if I don’t. I do feel bad about doing this but sometimes I’m just too busy to read every post on my reader (I too am too lazy to unfollow people) or it might be that it’s a review for a book I’m not interested in or one I really am but trying to avoid spoilers. I want to support my fellow bloggers I just don’t want to read a review of that particular book at that particular time.

Haha no problem!! 🙈 Yes… never…
I get you! I tend to try and read most of the important parts at least (especially after the whole mistake of mine that has me scarred in guilt forever) but there are so many factors that can play into me not fully reading a post! Some of them are exactly what you said as well, if I’m not interested in the particular book they’re reviewing, I’ll be less interested in the review? Ahh yes, I totally understand! 😊

WordPress doesn’t schedule my post sometimes when it is suppose to publish. So I go back to publish it only for it to been posted yesterday???!! So I have to go and delete that post then repost it for the current time. I am guilty of some of these things too. 😝😝

Great post 🙂 Number five is something I’ve done quite a few times and occasionally I will like a review post I haven’t read if the title and cover of the book doesn’t interest me but I still want to show my support for the blogger.

I can relate so much to this. Sometimes, like now, I’m so brain dead, I just randomly scroll through blog posts without liking or commenting. I kind of feel terrible but not? Midterms are killing me & I feel so incoherent!
Also, editing your comments is not a bad thing! I’d tototally edit my comment, especially if there’s a grammatical error.

That’s totally happened to me as well!! I look through and read blog posts but I don’t comment on them because I’m not in the mood or if I’m swamped with life? (Good luck on your midterms!!)
Yes! I never thought there was anything wrong with editing a comment for typos or clarity tbh haha but maybe someone thinks that’s sketchy?? TYPOS JUST BOTHER ME.

My worst cheat: I would write blog posts, and then BACKdate them when I posted them. This way it looked like I had a much more spaced out and even posting schedule than I actually did…ahaha. I’m the worst. To be fair, this was back when I had almost nobody aware of my existence, so it’s not like it MATTERED. To be honest, I’m still not sure anyone would really notice if I continued to do this…

HAHA omg I haven’t done this (yet 😂) but I totally get where you’re coming from! My schedule is all over the place, oh my gosh. Hmm very sneaky, Rebeccah!! 👀 It might be something easy to get away with? But your posting schedule is fine the way it is, I’m sure!! 🙈

hahaha I think we all say we’ll read books with the best intentions and then never do- there’s just too many books!! 😉 haha I’ve definitely liked comments on someone else’s blog before and then don’t comment myself (and feel a bit like a creeper 😉 ) Oh yeah I’ve edited my own comments before- I don’t like to have my typos out in the open 😉 and, well, it’s bad enough on everyone else’s blog when I can’t take it back 😉 I try to read everything, but sometimes it’s hard- so I relate there too! Oh yeah I’ve messed up on scheduler and- in fairness- sometimes WP messes up and it doesn’t go in the reader, so I’ll spend time reposting until it goes in the reader cos *it drives me nuts* when it doesn’t 😂😂 (oh gosh I’m such a pedant about these things) Anyway this was an awesome post and I relate so much!!

Right?! We all mean it, but realistically it’s wayyy too hard to commit to each rec when there are so many books! Whenever I Iike someone else’s comment I immediately feel like I should comment myself if I hadn’t already haha. 😂 I know, same!! Hahah yesss it’s such a struggle when you make a mistake on another blog and then have to leave it there… forever… 😱 Yes! I’m glad I’m not the only one. Hahah I totally get you, and for me, a lot of people come to my posts from the Reader so I don’t want it to not be there! Thank you!! 💕 I’m glad I’m not alone in these blogging confessions haha.

Hahaha reading this post made me laugh so hard!!! And no, I didn’t skim-read it… 😉 It was totally all about loving cats right?? xD I’m totally guilty of most of these, although I don’t really delete posts (just change the publish date a few times, but that’s it) I kind of like old posts just so I can see that at least I have improved my blogging a bit over time haha. I never read a post without liking it either… And I kind of do not know where the unfollow option is?? *cough* yes I’m blonde *cough*

That’s true! It’s interesting to see how far we’ve come since we first started. Ahaha Yvo, you’ve never unfollowed anyone?!?! *faux super shocked voice* I feel kind of guilty now, but if you go under Reader and press “manage” for your followed sites tab, you can unfollow there. You know, if you ever want to… *looks away innocently*

I haven’t done a lot of these, though I have gone back to edit my comments for typos or even add to them. But I usually add on immediately after commenting. I’m not sure how that shows up in someone’s feed, though. Do they get the updated comment only? Do they get both?

I do feel bad when I express interest in a book and people assume I’m going to read it immediately. I try to be say something like, “I’ll have to check that out” or something that implies that I will look into it, research it, maybe add it to my TBR. I don’t say, “I’ll have to read that!” But people still assume I’m going to rush to the library tomorrow for some reason. I meant it. I will probably look into it. I may even read it. I just might read it five years from now. 😀

But people who don’t read the post do annoy me. (Is that okay to admit? I feel like someone is going to get mad at me.) I understand that people skim and you can make a mistake. I get confused with book titles all the time. Some titles and covers just look similar! But I do find it weird that I always get comments where the person has seemingly only read the title of the post. If people want to skim, they should read the first and last paragraphs because that’s where the bulk of the information should be in an effectively written piece. Then people wouldn’t always be accusing me of saying things I never said! I’m at the point where I sometimes quote the post in my reply, but I’m pretty sure these commenters don’t even read my reply. After all, they didn’t read the post!

This is such a fantastic post, Analee, you always have the BEST ideas ❤
I have to admit that, if there is one thing I have never done here, it's deleting an old post, no matter how cringy my blog posts from three years ago may look now… well, they were me blogging three years ago and there is some sort of nostalgia in here, so I want to keep these? If that makes any sense, haha.
And YES for the book recommendations, ugh. I feel so bad, but sometimes I forget about these, there are just too many books being recommended everywhere and HOW CAN WE KEEP UPPP haha.

AAAH GOSH THE TRUTH IS OUT HAHA!
I’ve done a lot of them, (feeling guilty enough already), though I never like a post without reading through, cause it makes me feel guilty. Though yeah, at times if I’m not in the mood to reply or don’t have time, I’ve read between the lines to grab the gist of it. *I surrender*
Aaah. The book suggestions. Hey, in my defence there are WAYY too many books and noo time at all!And I totally agree, I always forget about the book suggestions. So basically, when I head over to a bookstore, I’m completely clueless and standing there like, what book did they say?😂
Gosh, editing comments is a must when you accidentally press ‘send’ without completing your comment, because you DEFINITELY cannot have two incomplete comments. No way. That ain’t gonna happen!
Man, such blogging sins we’ve all committed, yet, here we are discussing them and sharing them without any fear! Isn’t that why the blogging community is lovely?😂❤

i’M GUILDTY OF SO MANY… well all but one!! I haven’t done the “editing a comment” but now you mention it… I could go back and change them all to just FULL ON praises to me?? Why didn’t I think of this??

I think that the one that I’m most guilty of is not reading ALL of the post?? JUST reviews tho. I skim them to 1) avoid spoilers (because some people like to sum up all of the book on their review and I read it like… “well noW I CAN CROSS THAT OFF MY TBR!” and so yeah and 2) I just like to get their general opinion and everyone sums it all up a bit at the end anyway…. and I really don’t have time sometimes?? (WHICH I FEEL BAD ABOUT!!)

HAHAHA JOIN THE CLUB 🙊 And yessss Lu why haven’t you done this?!?! That is obviously how it’s supposed to be used??! 😂

I totally get that! A lot of reviews summarize the entire book and I… don’t always care or want that?? Hahah so true. Yes! There usually is a summary of their thoughts at the end which is usually the most important information?? (I KNOW SAME)

Ahaha, relatable! Usually when I make mistakes, they end up being on other people’s blogs and I’m just sitting there wishing I could edit my comments because TYPOS! They can be so frustrating. Great post, Analee!

Hahahaha I think you worry way too much about exposing yourself on the blogosphere, because anyone who tells you they haven’t at least done half of those is a LIAR!
I still haven’t deleted an old blog post or edited my own comments (you can edit other people’s comments by the way. I didn’t do that, but I pressed buttons on my phone app and landed in editing ahahaha) but still, a lot of those things ring true for me. I like going thorugh the comment section on other blogs and I have definitely said I’d read a book and then just … not done it? It’s never out of malice, I just forget as well or too much time passes and I loose interest, but I don’t want to declare that to the whole world haha

Oh I’ve definitely done number 1. For my birthday last month, my amazing friend gave me a giant box FULL of her old books, that she took the time to individually wrap and everything! The only problem was I was really stressed out because most of them were ENTIRE series worth of books I had zero interest in reading, plus I have limited space. It was so STRESSFUL because that was like the most thoughtful gift anyone could give me and I felt like such a bad friend that I will probably never read them! D:
I’m honestly pretty sure I haven’t done number 2, (no, really!) and I haven’t done 3, I SWEAR I’ve NEVER done 4, the only reason I’ve done 5 is to add something I forgot and usually I repost it the same day so I don’t think this really counts, and I’ve kind of unofficially done 6, sometimes I read posts without commenting but only because I don’t know what to say, but I’ve NEVER commented or liked it without even reading it, like who does that?! D: And I don’t think I’ve had my blog for long enough to hate any of my posts enough to do number 9. So there. 😛

Okay, I confess. I said I was pretty sure I had never done number 2, and I was! Until as soon as I posted my own comment on my way back to scrolling to the top I got distracted and read a couple of other people’s comments on this very post. I’m so ashamed! D: I wasn’t trying to be a stalker! It was an accident I swear!!! D: D: D: XD

I am super guilty of #8, which is ironic considering I am a new book blogger and it is not a good habit to get in when trying to network with other blogs in this genre! But this list speaks true to my heart haha, WE’RE CAUGHT!

This is a really cool post! I’m actually such a stalker, not so much on blogs and stuff but especially with people I know from school on instagram/facebook. Luckily, I’ve never actually accidentally liked someone’s comment (phew) but let’s just say I’ve almost been exposed plenty of times.

I also hate the older posts of my blog! There are definitely some that I would like to delete, and some that I have done so already.

I’m afraid I’m guilty of most of these. By the way, you can edit comments other people have left on your post as well (I’ve only ever deleted repeated comments, when it was evident the person or the system had made a mistake, but…)

Fun post! I’m guilty of a few of these at times. Let’s face it, most folks are very busy and if we read every single post from those we follow we wouldn’t get anything done. Sometimes I don’t get to read every single post of those I follow, but I try to read most of them and catch up when I can.

Really enjoyed reading this so I am going to follow you for speaking the truth. I also wrote a post just now about unfollowing and I will send it to everyone who made a big deal when I unfollowed them 😂 BTW 4 is so meeee

Ahahah thanks, I’m glad to hear that!! 🙈 Making a big deal out of unfollowing isn’t a very nice thing to do on the blogger’s part to do? I didn’t think people did that 🤔😂 But it’s good to have that post hahaha.

Omg yes to #1!! I ALWAYS say I’m going to read a book someone recommended me… and yet I never do. It’s usually only the books that I really want to read, and not some random book I don’t really care about. (Oops.) And omg I totally edit some of my comments! I wish I could edit my comment on other people’s blogs because TYPOS, but I sometimes end up editing comments on my own blog haha. And aahh I feel so bad when I don’t fully read a post and try to make up some weird comment! It makes me guilty but I think my comments aren’t that ignorant-sounding?? Hopefully. 😂

I’VE ONLY READ THE FIRST ONE AND I’M ALREADY LAUGHING WITH GUILT ANALEE NO WHY ARE YOU EXPOSING ALL OF US – to escape this first one I’ve started to say ‘I’ll check it out’ instead which I will do! That way I won’t lie but I won’t feel bad if I don’t end up reading it haha

OH MY GOD ANALEE I CAN’T I WOULD DIE IF I COMMENTED ABOUT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BOOK THAN THE POST WAS ABOUT. Thankfully this has never happened to me though I too am guilty of not always reading the entire post. Sometimes I just get tired all of a sudden and I start to skim read and I feel bad but,, we’re only human

I too was the type of blogger who had no clue what she was doing and seemed that way – we are in the same boat haha. I’ve deleted posts too, or made them private in case I want to have a laugh. Though one day soon I might just delete those too 😂

ANALEE I DIDN’T EVEN NOTICE YOU SKIPPED 7 YOU COULD’VE GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT